Who should be seen next when the emergency department cannot see everyone immediately? Rick Body uses hypothetical triage dilemmas to explore fairness, waiting time, clinical urgency and suffering, asking how fast-tracking, staffing decisions and performance targets affect the balance between individual patients and the wider department.
Ethical dilemmas in Emergency Medicine 4: The ethics of triage Read More
A 2014 induction guide and podcast on assessing syncope in the emergency department. Simon Carley and Iain Beardsell discuss establishing what happened, gathering a witness history and using the ECG, then connect possible causes with the physiology of cerebral perfusion to structure further assessment.
Syncope at St Emlyns Read More
Can CT measurements identify which older patients with acute subdural haematoma need neurosurgical referral? This 2014 journal club examines a proposed decision tool, questioning selection bias, measurement reliability and how a ‘surgical’ bleed was defined, and explaining why promising retrospective findings still need validation.
JC: When a subdural needs surgery in the elderly. St. Emlyn’s Read More
An introduction to planning sample size and understanding statistical power, linking effect size, precision and the risks of false positive and false negative results. Worked examples cover continuous outcomes, proportions and diagnostic accuracy studies, helping readers understand the assumptions behind calculations and ask better questions about research.
An introduction to sample size calculations. St.Emlyn’s Read More
What does ‘high sensitivity’ actually mean when describing a troponin assay? This 2014 explainer and accompanying podcast unpack detection limits, precision and the distinction between analytical and diagnostic sensitivity, while exploring why more sensitive tests still require careful clinical interpretation.
High sensitivity troponin Read More
An experienced emergency physician becomes a beginner again while training in prehospital care. Reflecting on uncertainty at a serious road collision, the author considers what new ED clinicians need from their senior colleagues: patience, support and an appreciation of how unfamiliar surroundings can unsettle even experienced doctors.
Another new group of ED clinicians – is it just history repeating? Read More
A 2014 induction guide and podcast on assessing breathlessness in the emergency department. The post introduces important causes, focused history-taking, the role of investigations and early senior support, with further learning resources for clinicians finding their feet in the ED.
An Introduction to the Breathless Patient in the ED Read More
A 2014 learning guide to headache in the emergency department, with a podcast, self-test and further resources. It explores concerning features in the history, neurological examination and decisions about investigations, emphasising discussion with senior colleagues when serious causes remain a concern.
Headache in the Emergency Department Read More
